Queering child welfare and juvenile justice: Recommendations for affirming LGBTQ+ youth

• Published date: 01 July 2024
• Author: Wiston A. Rodriguez,Sheharyar Hussain,Kevin L. Nadal,D. R. Gina Sissoko,D' Andrah Almanzar,Dashawn Ealey,Emerson Tejeda
• Date: 01 July 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12800

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Queering child welfare and juvenile justice:

Recommendations for affirming LGBTQ+youth

Wiston A. Rodriguez

1

| Sheharyar Hussain

2,3

|

Kevin L. Nadal

2,3

| D. R. Gina Sissoko

2,3

| D' Andrah Almanzar

4

|

Dashawn Ealey

2,3

| Emerson Tejeda

2

1

San Diego State University, San Diego,

California, USA

2

The Graduate Center, City University of

New York, New York, New York, USA

3

John Jay College of Criminal Justice of

New York, New York, New York, USA

4

Fordham University, New York,

New York, USA

Correspondence

Wiston A. Rodriguez, San Diego State

University, San Diego, CA, USA.

Email: warodriguez@sdsu.edu

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+)

people have historically been subjected to maltreatment

across multiple environments and systems –including their

homes, schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, healthcarefacili-

ties, and more. The criminal justice and child welfare systems

were built on the foundations of cisnormativity and hetero-

normativity, making LGBTQ+youth susceptible to systemic

oppression and discrimination when comparedto their youth

counterparts. As such, this paper examines the unique expe-

riences of LGBTQ+youth in the juvenile and child welfare

systems by discussing the systemic inequities and unique

challenges that exist for this population –beginning with the

risk factors that make them susceptible to exposure to both

systems in general.Furthermore, we provide practicalrecom-

mendations for legal and clinical professionals to better serve

their LGBTQ+youth clients –ranging from changes in poli-

cies and legislation, increased staff training, and strategies to

create safe and inclusive environments for all youth.

KEYWORDS

child welfare system, criminal justice system, foster care, LGBTQ

+youth, LGBTQIA+

Wiston A. Rodriguez, Sheharyar Hussain, and Kevin L. Nadal contributed to the paper equally.

DOI: 10.1111/fcre.12800

© 2024 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

Family Court Rev. 2024;62:653–665. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fcre 653